


Coming Home

by RainySteve



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: F/M, Nightmares, angsty, brief panic attack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-26
Updated: 2018-11-26
Packaged: 2019-08-29 16:20:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16747402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RainySteve/pseuds/RainySteve
Summary: They're back, but it's not over...





	Coming Home

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this for a contest a while while back

Everyone knows of Percy Jackson. Even those that arrived late only getting to hear stories about him, know him to perfection now. The kink in his step that suggested that his stoic perfection wasn’t as intimidating as it seemed, the way he smirked when he caught someone staring but not harshly enough to be intimidating; a hint of surprise buried beneath it all.

But the thing you’d hear of most is the way he mysteriously disappeared one day.

School had been out so nobody saw him or knew for sure how it happened. Some said that his vengeful stepfather came back and murdered him, others -the more optimistic ones- simply stated that he probably got expelled as in other occasions. Whatever it was, Percy Jackson didn’t show up for school the first day, or the day after that. After a year everyone guessed he wouldn’t come back. 

Then he did.

********

"Percy," Annabeth tentatively murmured beside him. They’d been parked outside of his apartment -more his mother’s and Paul’s after a year of not setting a foot inside- and they still were sat in the parked car. "You need to go in"

"I know," he took her hand to comfort himself more than her. It’s weird how he could just be vulnerable around her now, he had nothing left to hide from her, yet she fell in love with him a little bit more everyday. "I will"

After a couple more minutes, he got out of the car.

  
She was the one that knocked, sneaking a glance at Percy’s pale face and giving him a reassuring grin, he was home. He was safe.

"Who is it?" Called Paul inside. Percy’s chest almost broke at the sound of his stepfather’s voice. He’d missed them so much and they probably had too. He felt so guilty for making them go through this again, this bad. Should he leave? Annabeth takes his hand as he leans against the threshold, squeezing his shoulder. He was to do this.

"Who is it?"

"It’s me, Paul," he sounds hoarse even to his own ears.

"Who?"

"Percy"

His stomach lurches as he hears him fumble with the lock and finally open the door. When he finally does, they can’t help but stare at each other for the longest time. He looks shabbier than Percy remembered, the circles beneath his eyes darker, but that kind glint in his eye is still there and he is happy his mother has someone like him. “Paul I-” Before he can finish he pulls him into a hug and he doesn’t hesitate to hug back, he doesn’t even mind the tears that stain his eyes , he is home after seeing too much war. He is alive.

"Your mother has been worried out of her mind Perseus!" Paul tries to sound accusing but how could he ? The boy is alive and that’s all that matters. Yet he can’t help but think how much Sally and him look alike with tears in their eyes. "Why didn’t anybody tell us anything?"

Another look of guilt adorns Percy’s face. He asked Chiron, in case he didn’t make it. He didn’t want to raise their hopes, he didn’t want to hurt them anymore. Even getting him to come back had been a feat of magnitude. He just didn’t know what to say but he had to do it. “I’m sorry, I should’ve called”

"Just-"

"Paul honey, who’s at the door?" They both freeze at the sound of Percy’s mother. "Close the door or let them in. It’s freezing outside, it might snow"

Percy doesn’t know what to say so he looks at Paul. “It’s for you Sally,” he calls out.

When she does, she stares too. Her hug is tighter though and Percy practically lifts her off the ground when he hugs back. He really missed his mother, it hurt to think that he’d die without the chance of seeing her again, he’d just hadn’t given himself the time to think about it and now he could. “I missed you”

She chuckles and pulls away, her proud eyes full of tears and broken by a smile. She doesn’t have to say it, to do so wouldn’t begin to state how she’s felt with her son gone, with the thought of him not coming back for good this time. It’d been a year. A year. “You’re so tall!” He examines him closely and notices how his hair -still messy- seems to finally suit him. He doesn’t hide behind it anymore, not too short or too long. Piper had done a terrific job of cutting it. “Come in!”

Annabeth feels like she’s intruding, watching Percy have such a close moment with his family, but Sally pulls her into the apartment without a second though, greeting her and hugging her as well. Annabeth is his family too.

As they walk into the kitchen Sally pulls her back. “Thank you for bringing back my son,” she whispers. Annabeth, finally getting sentimental as well, doesn’t know what to say. They’d kept each other alive. Through Tartarus, through the war, through the nightmares, he’s been there. His mother can see it in her eyes too and gives her arm another squeeze before guiding her to the table where Paul and Percy are sitting.

********

At night the nightmares come like they have since Tartarus, always every bit as menacing and blood chilling. He finds himself jolting awake and mumbling Annabeth’s name without a second thought before realizing that she is sleeping in his bedroom whilst he took the couch. It’s the first time they’ve slept apart since the war and Percy didn’t want to, but apparently Annabeth had some shame let and refused to share a bed with him whilst his mother was in the other room.

Sighing, he crashed back down unto the pillow his mother had left for him and tried to control his racing heartbeat. He was exhausted as always but he didn’t want to fall into yet another round of imaginary losing battles, so he shuffled into the kitchen and poured himself a glass of water.

There it was again. That reminder, something insignificant but alarming. He felt the water touch his lips and remembered the poison. He wanted to torture her, a goddess he’d just met. It didn’t matter who she was, she was one of them and they’d done that to him. It was as if the poison ran along his own veins.

Then Annabeth’s voice. She was scared, scared of him and what he could do. He’d never forget that, it’ll always be there. Always.

"You okay there?"

He’s startled when he finally hears Paul but quickly composes himself. “Yeah,” he tries to assure. “I’m fine”

His stepfather takes a look at him and knows he’s lying right away. It’s hard for him to grasp the idea that the kid standing in front if him just fought in a war. The thing he’s seen most are lucky to live without. “Look….” He tries. ” I know I’m not your father or anything but….if you need to talk….you can talk to me-”

"It’s fine" He couldn’t possibly talk to him. He couldn’t possibly talk to anyone. What was he complaining about? He was alive! So many others weren’t as lucky. But luck had nothing to do with it. It was their sacrifice that saved him, it’s what also kills him now. "I’m fine"

"Percy-" he was cut off by an agonizing cry.

Immediately, Percy knew it was Annabeth. It wasn’t long until he was racing towards his old room. “Hey,” he whispered once he got there. She was hunched over the side and the covers had been thrown off. He could tell she was still half asleep and living that horrid dream. “Wake up Annabeth”

"Why did you leave Percy?" She sobbed. "Why can’t I see you??!!"

The panic in her voice tears him part but he pushes aside and sits beside her, slowly taking her into his arms. “I’m right here” He hugs her as she continues to cry and tries to calm her down as he always does and they way she does when it is him that wakes up screaming.

Sally and Paul stand watching until they can’t and once they leave them alone they are certain of one thing: they’ve returned, but nothing will be the same.


End file.
